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Question by cider novice
Question:
I just started a kit of cider that I purchased from a brewing store for $24.95 CDN. The ingredients are apple juice and yeast. Would it not be more economical to buy concentrated apple juice from the grocery store or is that naive? What type/brand name of juice does one buy? Do you have to add dextrose/sugar/honey etc? What should the starting SG be (roughly)? Thanks in advance, Mike
Response:
: I just started a kit of cider that I purchased from a brewing : store for $24.95 CDN. The ingredients are apple juice and : yeast. Would it not be more economical to buy concentrated : apple juice from the grocery store or is that naive? What : type/brand name of juice does one buy? Do you have to add : dextrose/sugar/honey etc? What should the starting SG be : (roughly)? I’ve recintly brewed a cider from a kit simmilar to the one you metion (although I didn’t get that good a price) and it turned out exlent. The problems I see with juce from concintrate is a: they might have priservitives that would interfear with the yeast (can anyone verify that) and b: the blend of apples might not be ideal for cider (but this is up to personal taste). I personaly don’t think that the price you paid is that much for 5 gallons of cider. If you try juice from concintrate let me know how it goes. Good luck. Julius Heilman
Response:
I just started a kit of cider that I purchased from a brewing store for $24.95 CDN. The ingredients are apple juice and yeast. Would it not be more economical to buy concentrated apple juice from the grocery store or is that naive? What type/brand name of juice does one buy? Do you have to add dextrose/sugar/honey etc? What should the starting SG be (roughly)?
I’ve made to batches of cider, both made from farm-fresh apple juice, campden tablets and yeast. One of them was excellent, and the other was too dry. I would NOT recommend getting juice from the grocery, unless it’s farm-fresh juice with no additives, no pasteurization, and no filtering. In other words, fresh, raw, tasty apple juice from the farm. I’ll be doing 120 liters in the coming weeks. JP
Response:
I just started a kit of cider that I purchased from a brewing store for $24.95 CDN. The ingredients are apple juice and yeast. Would it not be more economical to buy concentrated apple juice from the grocery store or is that naive? What type/brand name of juice does one buy? Do you have to add dextrose/sugar/honey etc? What should the starting SG be (roughly)? Thanks in advance, Mike
Mike, A cider kit? Interesting…I’ve never seen one. I recommend that you buy fresh apple cider which is available throughout most of the country at this time of year. Stay away from cider that has preservatives added. How much (if any) sugar you add depends on the desired results. For dry cider, adjust to a gravity range similar to beer (1.035 – 1.065). For apple wine, add more sugar (honey, etc.). The flavor will be improved if you add some acid in the form of "acid blend" (used in winemaking). I have a recipe that calls for a can of orange juice concentrate to be added to 5 gallons of must (unfermented fruit juice). Fresh cider is often contaminated, so it is best to sterilize the must with 1 Campden tablet per gallon. Wait overnight before pitching yeast. Champagne yeast is often used to ferment cider, but other types are probably good too. Yeast nutrients may be a good idea too. Good luck. Rolland Everitt